Saturday, June 11, 2016

Bronze Sculpture of Selfie-Snappers Stirs a Storm in Sugar Land

It may very well be the first public sculpture that commemorates the act of taking a selfie. The Houston suburb of Sugar Land recently installed a bronze statue of two girls grinning as one raises her smartphone to snap a photograph as part of a 10-piece, citywide public art donation intended to “provide and/or support activities and facilities that enrich the artistic, cultural, educational, and historical character of Sugar Land.”

The pair isn’t posing at just any place, either, but in Sugar Land Town Square’s public plaza. They sorority squat slightly just a stone’s throw away from the steps of City Hall so the stately building serves as their backdrop. As per a municipal press release, the statue is meant to “show activities common in the plaza” — which gives you a good sense of how people apparently like to spend their time outdoors.

Nearby, city officials also installed another bronze sculpture of a guitar player sitting on the edge of a fountain.